Sanef takes on big tech: Demands compensation for South African media content

The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has asked the Competition Commission to strongly consider getting big tech companies to look at compensating media houses for content on digital platforms.

Sanef made representations on the first day of public hearings at the Competition Commission’s Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry in Pretoria on Monday.

The digital platform inquiry of the Competition Commission, which was officially launched in October last year and started on March 4 will be concluded in over a year.

Secret algorithms

Sanef made an impassioned submission at the inquiry about tech companies using secret algorithms that dictate what news content gets shown through big tech companies’ digital platforms.

Represented by chairperson Sbu Ngalwa, founding member Guy Berger, and legal representative, Michael Power, Sanef asked the commission to strongly consider getting big tech companies to look at fair compensation for using South African media content.

Presentations were also made by Chris Mcinga and Izak Minnaar, largely speaking on behalf of community media and the Press Council of SA.

Sanef said it was informed by the commission that “X” (formerly Twitter) declined to appear before the commission.

“This is an unfortunate development and a missed opportunity as pointed out by Glenda Daniels, secretary-general of Sanef that misogyny, bullying, and harassment of women journalists was widespread on the platform. At the same time X has been unresponsive to calls to take down malicious content targeted at women journalists – including threats of rape, doxing and trolling.”

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Credibility

Sanef said its submission to the commission also included the provision of access to credible news as a public good should be considered as a human rights issue, not only as a matter of commercial competition.

“Fair compensation for news in the public interest used on platforms should be based on the value that platforms derive from this content. Credible news (i.e. subscribing to an independent self-regulatory body and an ethical code) should be prioritised by platforms. It is an antidote for mis- and disinformation.

“Transparency of algorithms and sharing of data related to news content and related advertising on platforms should be promoted, as well as access to data that publishers can use to promote and monetise their content,” Sanef submitted.

Raising perspectives

James Hodge, the chief economist at the Competition Commission, who is chairing the enquiry, said the hearings will allow a variety of stakeholders to raise their perspectives on the matter.

“The inquiry was initiated to examine the distribution of media content on search and social media digital platforms, AI chatbots and assisted search, and the advertising technology (AdTech) markets that connect advertisers and news publishers’ websites.

“The public hearings will present another opportunity for stakeholders to not only present a perspective on some of the issues presented by the inquiry to date, but also for the panel to discuss and debate some of those perspectives,” Hodge said.

X absent

Hodge criticised X for its refusal to participate in the inquiry.

“The only major global platform that has so far refused to participate in the hearings is X Corp, formerly Twitter, represented by ENS. The panel does not find this position acceptable, as it denies us the ability to discuss and debate the submissions made by X Corp, and it denies the SA public and media the transparency and accountability.”

“We also find it somewhat ironic that X has taken this position given its own value proposition to users being ‘a real-time, global, open, public conversation platform where people can see every side of a topic, discover news, share their perspectives, and engage in discussion and debate,” Hodge said.

Hodge added all other major digital platforms, including Google and Meta agreed to participate in the inquiry.

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